Air-brake.



. PATENTED OCT. 29; 1907.,

W. s. BILBRBY.

AIB. BRAKE.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED 001212. 1906. l

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

No. 869,543. PYATENTED OCT. 29. 1907. W. S. BILBREY.

AIR BRAKE.

APPLIATIOT FILED 0011.12. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' attorney l Fig. 6.is a similar view showing the parts in the emervalve, 2, which is mounted on the usual stem or key,

I the usual shoulders or stops, 6, to mark the different 'have invented certain new and useful Improvements l In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken -nections between said valve and the locomotive brakes plied.

f "UNITED" STA-@S Pimm-'jonica i .R. AIKEN, OF WEST POINT, GEORGIA.

No. seams.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application tiled October 12. 1906. Serial N o. 338.608.

'o all whom it may concerni Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. BILBREY, a citizen of the United States i America, residing at West Point, in the county of Troup and State of Georgia,

in Air-Brakes; of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to' which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this 'invention is to provide simple and efficient mechanism .whereby the locomotive and tender brakesmay'be operated independently` of the car.brakes and simultaneously therewith or without operating the Acar brakes.

The invention consists lin certain novel features which-are illustratediin the accompanying/drawings and will be hereinafter iirst fully described and then particularly pointed out 'in the claims". 'l

.through the ordinary Westinghouse engineers valve and showing the same fitted withmy improvements; Fig. 2 is 'a plan view ot the same partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line :tw-:z: of Fig. 2; Fig. 4' is ahorizontal section throughv a portion of the cap taken on the line y-y of Fig. 3 and showing theparts in the running position; Fig. 5is a view similar to Fig. 4 svhowing the parts inthe straight-air position;

gency position; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the valve shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of th rotary valve. -v

The engiueers valve, l, is of the usual-construction but is coupled to the train-pipe only, the usual con- .'and the coupling between the train-pipe and the brakes on the tender being omitted when my invention is ap- In carrying out my invention, I employ a rotary 3, and fits in the cap or upper end of the valve casing or'body, 4, above the usual rotary of the engineers valve. The operating handle, 5, is secured on the stem in the usual manner and the body is formed with positions of the handle. I also provide an additional this stop or notch 7, the cap or body is provided with a port, 8, leading into a pipe, 9, which extends down to a pipe, 10, running to the brake cylinders on the locomotive and on the tender. This pipe 10 has one end in communication with an equalizing cylinder, 11, in

which Ais mounted a piston, 12, carrying .a valve, 13, which normally closes the port, .14, in said cylinder I leading to the atmosphere. From the upper end of the equalizing cylinder, a pipe, 15, extends up to the cap at a point diametrically opposite the end of the pipe 9 where it communicates with the interior of the cap above the valve 2 through a port, 1G, shown most clearly in Fig., 7 A direct communication with the atmosphere from the pipe 15 is provided through the top of the cap, as shown at 17, said communication be-` ing controlled by a valve, 18, which is normally pressed against its scat to close the passage 17 b y a spring, 19, and has its stem projecting slightly above thetop of the cap in position to be actuated by a lever or presser `pplate, 20which is pivotally mounted on the handle.

This lever is a branched or U-shaped arm fitting over the handle and having a thumh-p1ate, 21, at its outer end which is normally held raised by a spring, 22, seated between the same and the upper side of the f handle. The lower edges of the arm 20 are connected bya pressure plate, 23, which isadapted to depress the valve 18 in the operation of my invention and also serves to prevent the spring 22 throwing the arm or lever too high for successful use. An additional port,

24, is provided in the cap near the port 16 and leads' to the :Atmosdirectly through the side of the same phere. n

The valve 2 is fitted on the stem or rotary key above the ordinary rotary, as before stated, and -is secured thereto so as to rotate therewith by the upper portion of the usual wings, 25, thereon, the valve being provided with a transverse groove in its lower face to e'ngage said wings, as will be readily understood. The'v valve is constructed with a port, 26, which is arranged to establish communication between the reservoir pressure in the engineers valve body and the pipe 9 leading to the brake cylinders on the locomotive and tender, and adjacent to said port and extending around the valve a distance equal to the .distance lbetween the straight-air and emergency positions of the same are a line of smaller ports, 27, which also maintain the same reservoir pressure. It will be noted that I have shown a series of small ports instead of one continuous port but the one continuous lport may be employed if preferred. At the end of this series of small ports, I p'rovide an additional port or the end port may be made in the form of la radial slot, the same as the port 26, in order that in the emergencyposition a full pressure `may be admitted to the port 8 and the pipe 9. Diametrically opposite the port 26, the valve is provided with a port, 28, which serves to establish communication between the reservoir pressure and the port 16 while in its upper side ra.- dially beyond but adjacent to the said, port 28, the valve is provided with a recessor blind port, 29, which serves to establish communication between the -,port 16 and ,communication between the brake cylindersand the the port 24, the ports 26, 2and 29 all being on the same radial lino with the operating handle 5.

,ing that all brakes are applied, when the handle 5 is moved back to the release position the automatic valve I operates to release the train brakes, after which the handle is movedforward to the running position thus releasing theUstraight-air or engine and tenderbrakes. All brakes 'will then be off and the .train will-be ready for running. 1 When the handle is thrown around to the service position to apply thebrakes, the air is permitted to pass through the ports 27 and the port S to the pipe 9 and also through the ports and the port 16 to the pipe 15. -The piston 12 is free to seat the valve 13 and thus close the'discharge port 1li-so that the air in the pipe 9 is forced to passthrough the pipe 10 and apply the brakes. The handle is thenrnovedback to the lap position, as usual, in `which position the solid portion oi the valve bei tweenthe port 26 and the :end of the slot or'small ports 27 and between-the port`28 and the end of the ports 30l willbe brought 'over the ports 8 and 16 respectivelyso as to'cut ofi the flow into the pipes 9 and 15, these solid. portions of the valveibeing just large'enough to provide for the lap position. Should the handle be moved to any. v point beyond .the segvic'e position, the circulation of air" .just described vwilloccur and in the Aemergency position 'the larger Capacity at the'end of the ports 27 will permit a'full flow of air through the'pipes 9 and 10 to quickly apply the brakes. vlihen the handle is brought into the running positiomi the How oi air to the pipes 9 and 15 is cut ofi ybut the blind port will connect the ports 16 and 24 and thereby permit the air in the pipe 15 to escape to theatmosphere. The pressure above the equalizing piston12 being thus reduced, the pressure of the air in the pipe-10 will raise the said piston so as tounseat the valve l'and consequently permit the air to escape through the discharge port 14 to the atmosphere 'and release the brakes .on the locomotive andy tender.

The brakes on'the cars will be released through the engineers valve which works inthe usual manner during the operations herein described.v vShould the locomotive slide, the'engineer after returning the handle to .the'la'p position depresses the arm 20 so as to strike the stem vof and unseat the valve 18 when the air in the'pipe15 will escape through the passage 17,

-releasing the locomotive and tender brakes through the -actionoi the piston 12 as before'described but leaving the car brakes applied. 'Should it be desired, for any lreason, to releasethe brakes on the cars Without releasing the tender and `engine brakes, the handle is .'noved quickly'to the full release position when the car brakes will be released through the usual action of the rotary but the portsl28 and 29 will be carried backward so quickly that no appreciable amount of air Awill'escape-from the pipe 15, and, therefore, the .locomotive and tender brakes will remain applied, it

being understood that the blind port 29A is so positioned and oi such extent as to establish the'communicatiori between the ports 16 and 24 only when the handle is in the running position. lf 'the handle be then moved from the release position tothe running position, the locomotive and tender brakes will be released by the escape of the pressure 'through theports 16 and 24, as above. described. i

Should the engine be running alone, the brakes are applied by moving the handle 'to the' straight-air position -thus bringing the port 26 into registry with the port S and the port 2S into registry with the port 16 and establishing the flow through the pipes 9 and 15 to apply the brakes as beior'e described. "Should it be d'esired toslightly bunch vthe cars before braking them,

the handle is moved slowlypast the straight-air position,'thus causing an application ot' the engine and tcnder brakes'without affecting the ca r brakes so that When the service position is reached the cars will be hunched just' enough to compensate for .the usual slack and attain-a simultaneous and uniform braking 4of all the cars. lt will`be understood, 'oicourse,` that when the engine brakes are vset byplac'ing the handle in the straightair position the car-brakes are unapplied becausev the feed-valve remains partlyopen and admits air to the train-pipe until the handle reaches the service position.v

lt will likewise be understood that to apply the engine 'and car brakes simultaneously, the handle is carried quickly past the straight-air position to the service p0- sition so that the straight-air portswill not begiven time to affect the engine-brakes through their greater capacity.v

My device is very simple in' its construction and s efficient in its operation. It does not interfere withv the' usual operation ofthe regular'engineers valve nor necessitate any change irithe construction or arrangement of the parts of the same. By its use loss of air is avoided as there are no auxiliary reservoirs or triple valves on the locomotive or tender to be exhausted or operated. The piping on the locomotive is reduced n and the triple valves and auxiliary reservoirs thereon are dispensed with so that the cost of equipment oi the engine is minimized. rlhe brakes on the engine and tender are more quicklyapplied and released than with the apparatus now employed. v

1 From the foregoing descriptionit will b'e seen that my invention enables-the engineer, through the manipulation of a single handle orlever, toapply all brakes simultaneously; to set the engine brakes separately, leaving the train brakes unapplied; to release.

the engine, leaving the train brakes applied; and to release the train brakes', leaving the engine brakes applied.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is i l. In an air brake, the combination With'the engneers valve, ofan independent vvalve mounted on the key tbereo and controlling the engine and'tender brakes.

2. The combination of the engineers'valve. an independent valve mounted above the same and operablev therewith, a pipe leading from one side ofthe valve casing to the engine brakes, an equalzing cylinder in' comxnuncation with said pipe, and a pipe leading from the opposite side of the valve casing to said cylinder, the flow through 'saidppes being controlled by said independent valve. 0

3. The combination of an' englneers valve,v pipes leading' from the oppositie sides ofjthe body of the same to ontrol the engine brakes, and an independent valve mountedl in the body and arranged to establish direct 'communication with said pipes and the reservoir pressure.

4. Thev combination with the body having diametricaliy opposite applying and releasing ports, of a rotary valve mounted therein and having dametrically opposite ports arranged-to establish communication between the reservoir pressureI and the said applying and releasing ports in one position of the valve and provided with continuous series of ports extending partly around the valve in opposite directions to maintain such communication dun ing movement of the valve.

5. ,The combination of the valve body having a release port and a. discharge port leading to the atmosphere, a yrotary valve mounted therein having a series of ports adapted vto register` with the release port and a blind port adapted to vform a communication between the said release and' discharge ports.

6. The combination of the valve body having a release port and a discharge port leading to the atmosphere, a valve mounted therein having a series of ports "adapted `to 'register with the release port and a blind/port -adapted to form a communication between the said release and discharge ports.

7. The combination of the valve body having a release port, a valvemounted in said release port, a rotary handle mounted above 'the body, and a presser plate carried by the handle and adapted to actuate said valve to open the port.

S. The; combination of the valve body having a release and arranged to close. and open the release port and estabiish communication between the release and,discharge ports, the release port having n branch passage leading to the atmosphere. a valve in said branch passage normally closingthe same, an operating handle for manipulating the first-mentioned valve. and a presser plate carried by said handle and adapted to operate the valve in the branch passage to open the same.

D. in an air brake, the combination of the body having dialnetrically opposite applying and releasing' ports, and a 4valve mounted therein and provided with diametrically opposite ports adapted to register with said portsin the body when at a point between the running and lap positions, said valve being further provided with solid portions to block said ports when in the lap position and with further ports adapted to open the said applying and releasing ports at points beyond the lap position.

10. In an air brake, the combination with the engineer's valve, of .an independent valve mounted to operate with the engineers valve and adapted to establish direct communication between the reservoir pressure and the engine 

